ENGE1608 Module Guide for 2020

ENGE 1608

English Skills for Education

Year course
NQF level 6
Credits: 32
Department of English
Compiled by
Dr Colleen du Plessis

2020

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Welcoming message ...................................................................................................................... 3

2. Module objective and learning outcomes.................................................................................... 4

3. Module calendar............................................................................................................................ 4

4. Credits and notional learning hours............................................................................................ 7

5. Learning units ............................................................................................................................... 7

6. Study material ............................................................................................................................... 8

7. Additional resources and activities on Blackboard.................................................................... 9

8. Assessment ..................................................................................................................................... 9

9. Solving problems......................................................................................................................... 10

10. Departmental and faculty guidelines........................................................................................... 10

10.1 Responsibilities on the part of students and lecturers 10

10.2 Essay and assignment policy 10

10.3 Late assignment policy 11

10.4 Policy on the use of computers and other technologies in the classroom 11

10.5 Consultation and e-mail policy 11

10.6 Academic integrity 11

10.7 Plagiarism 12

10.8 Faculty of the Humanities class attendance policy 12

10.9 Assessment policy of the Department of English for ENGE1608 13

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Icon Description
Welcoming message and information on lecturers
Module objective
Module calendar
Additional activities and resources on Blackboard
Credits and notional hours relevant to the module.
Activities to be completed on your own
Study materials
Important reminders
Assessment questions
Learning units

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1. Welcoming message

ENGE1608 is an interactive language module aimed at assisting you to master English at a sufficient
level for the purposes of using the language with confidence in social and educational contexts and
teaching English to students in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases. It is important that you accept
responsibility for your progress in this course, and that you understand that the role of the lecturer is to
facilitate the language learning process.

You are required to attend one lecture and two practical classes per week. You will also need to devote
considerable time to expanding your vocabulary and broadening your knowledge through regular
revision of work covered, extensive reading and the completion of all of the required activities.

Please read through the information in this course guide carefully so that you have a good general
understanding of the kind of work that will be covered and how your progress will be assessed. Different
lecturers and learning facilitators present the ENGE1608 classes. Full contact details will be provided
as soon as possible.

COURSE COORDINATOR BLOEMFONTEIN CAMPUS

Lecturer: Dr C.L. du Plessis

Office number: FGG208

Email address: [email protected]

Phone number: 051 401 3286

Consulting hours To be announced

LECTURERS

Lecturer: Dr Susan Brokensha

Office number: FGG218

Email address: [email protected]

Phone number: 051 401 3571

Consulting hours To be announced

Lecturer: Ms Candice Reynolds

Office number:

Email address: [email protected]

Phone number:

Consulting hours

Lecturer: To be announced

Office number:

Email address:

Phone number:

Consulting hours

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2. Module objective and learning outcomes

ENGE1608 is a 32-credit module for students who are already proficient in using English for general
conversational purposes, but who need to expand their vocabulary and gain confidence in using English
in educational settings. You will thus need to develop your ability to understand different text types, as
well as your ability to create new texts and discourse in different modes for professional teaching
purposes. At the same time you will be required to reflect critically on a selection of relevant topics.
Much attention will thus be devoted to lexis (vocabulary, commonly used phrases and word
collocations), strategies that support understanding texts and techniques that will help you to use
language with increased clarity and confidence. Each unit of study is intended to engage you in learning
about a variety of subjects.

After successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
1. understand principles of language teaching in early childhood education
2. use a wide range of language structures to express concepts
3. develop awareness of the register of different grammatical structures
4. expand your vocabulary in a range of lexical areas
5. improve your fluency of speech and pronunciation
6. exchange opinions and discuss topics with ease
7. read a variety of texts with greater understanding, including a selection of poems and short
stories
8. plan, organise and write texts with greater accuracy

ENGE1608 will also help you to develop the following critical outcomes:
1. identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking;
2. work effectively with others as members of a group;
3. organise and manage yourself and your activities responsibly and effectively;
4. collect, analyze, organise and critically evaluate information;
5. communicate effectively in the written as well as the spoken mode; and
6. demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognizing that
problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

3. Module calendar

The module schedule and syllabus (study material) may be updated or modified at any time. It is the
responsibility of students enrolled in this module to keep informed of any changes. An announcement
of this type will be communicated during class and on Blackboard. Check Blackboard every week
to keep up to date with content covered in class and work that needs to be done.
You can find information on class times and venues on the university’s web page. Please check you
timetable more than once during the first two weeks of each semester in case of changes.

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ENGE1608 is a year course during which the following programme will be followed:

Semester 1 schedule

Week Dates Work to be completed

1 3-7 Feb Welcome and orientation

2 10-14 Feb Pre-course assessments in normal class venues (please bring
a pencil and eraser)

3 17-21 Feb Unit 1

4 24-28 Feb Unit 1

5 2-6 March Unit 1

6 9-13 March Semester Test 1

7 16-20 March Unit 1

21-29 March: SHORT RECESS

8 30 Mar-3 April Unit 2

9 6-10 April Unit 2
Friday, 10 April, Good Friday no classes

10 13-17 April Unit 2
Monday, 13 April, Family Day no classes

11 20-24 April Unit 3

12 27 Apr-1 May Unit 3
Monday, 27 April, Freedom Day no classes
Friday, 1 May, Workers’ Day no classes

13 4-8 May Semester Test 2

14 11-15 May Aegrotat (“sick” tests)

Main mid-year examinations commence on 18 May
SCHOOLS CLOSE 12 June

HOLIDAY: 25 June to 12 July

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Week Dates Semester 2

Work to be completed

1 13-17 July Unit 3
2 20 -24 July Unit 3

3 27-31 July Unit 4

4 3-7 Aug Unit 4

5 10-14 Aug Unit 4
Monday, 10 August, National Women’s Day no classes

6 17-21 Aug Unit 4

7 24-28 Aug Unit 5

8 31 Aug-4 Sept Unit 5

9 7-11 Sept Semester Test 3

10 14-18 Sept Aegrotat (“sick” tests)

HOLIDAY: 21-27 September

11 28 Sept-2 Oct Unit 5

12 5-9 Oct Preparation for last semester test

13 12-16 Oct Tuesday, 13 October, Semester Test 4 (final post-course
assessment)

14 19 Oct-16 Nov Tuesday, 20 October, Aegrotat (“sick” test)
Mark finalisation

Main end-of-year examinations commence on 26 October

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4. Credits and notional learning hours

‘Notional learning hours’ indicate the amount of learning time taken by the ‘average’ student to achieve
the specified learning outcomes and are related to the course credits (32).

Notional hours are allocated as follows: 58 hours
Attending and participating in classes: 8 hours
Writing tests:
Self-study and completing assignments 244 hours
Troubleshooting (during consultation hours): 10 hours
TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTIONAL HOURS:
320 hours

5. Learning units

Weekly lecture
Semester 1: The lecture component will incorporate elements of content based instruction (CBI)
applicable to teaching in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases. This means that during the first
semester we will discuss the importance of literacy in early childhood, the role of phonics and whole
language teaching. We will also introduce you to different ways to teach spelling and pronunciation,
grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension in the early grades of schooling.
Semester 2: The second half of the year will cover the teaching of poetry and short stories. You will
read a variety of literary texts and engage in activities of a creative nature.

Two practical classes each week
This section of the course will be used to help you to become more fluent in English. We will use a
variety of themes and topics so that you can develop a broad general knowledge and vocabulary. At the
same time, we will be revising grammar and language conventions. You will further be encouraged to
develop critical literacies in which you are able to evaluate information and express a personal point of
view on important matters. Practical classes will also include oral work and regular writing tasks in
which you apply what you are learning.

Attendance registers will be kept. You must stay in the same practical class each semester. You will
write your tests in your practical classes and receive back marked work in class, so you will not be able
to switch groups once we have started practicals.

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Practical classes will cover the following themes and topics:

Unit 1: Who am I?
This unit covers aspects of identity and self-awareness. We will look at motivational factors in language
learning, personality types and different kinds of intelligence. You will also have a chance to reflect on
the importance of language in learning and your own ability to understand texts.
Unit 2: It’s time
In this part of the work we think about past experiences that have influenced us, and we deal with
present issues related to time management in a pressurised world, for example the matter of.
multitasking.
Unit 3: The moral and material world
We investigate values and principles that guide our behaviour: How much do we care about our
“neighbours”? Are we driven by money and material objects? What is our attitude towards pets and
animals? Do we take care of our environment? Do we need municipal laws?

Unit 4: Health checks

In this section we look at things that affect our well-being. We examine different kinds of addictions
and treatments. We also look at the role of exercise and how music and the arts can be used
therapeutically.

Unit 5: Personal travels

In the last unit, we cross physical boundaries and travel to other places. We reflect on what visiting
different countries can teach us and how this may enrich our lives. On a more critical level, we examine
the effect of migration and being forced by circumstances to live or work in a foreign country.

6. Study material

In addition to this module guide, which provides an outline of the course and information about how
you will be assessed, as well as important university policies, you will need to obtain two reading guides
with the relevant texts that we will be using, one for the first semester and one for the second semester.
These will be available at the start of each semester from the Minolta course guide division.

The following reference book is compulsory for all students:

Lutrin, B. & Pincus, M. 2013. English handbook and study guide. 9th edition. Birnam Park,
Johannesburg: Berlut Books.

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7. Additional resources and activities on
Blackboard

Any further materials and/or activities will be placed on Blackboard. It is each student’s responsibility
to check what notices and materials have been posted on Blackboard and to come to class prepared.

8. Assessment

There are no examinations for this course. Therefore, you must work consistently and do all the required
assessments (see the table below). If you do not write all of the tests, you will have to repeat the
course next year. In addition to the formal tests, revision activities and quizzes will be completed in
class and online. To pass ENGE1608, you need to obtain at least an overall percentage of 50% or
higher.

Your year mark is worked out as follows (formative assessment = 55%; summative assessment =
45%)

ASSESSMENT TYPE CONTRIBUTION

Pre-course literacy assessment Written test (no preparation) 10

Revision activities Class and online quizzes 120

Semester test 1 Written test 50

Semester test 2 Written test 50

Semester test 3 Written test 50

Semester test 4 Written test 100

Writing assignment 1* Practical class activity 40

Writing assignment 2* Practical class activity 40

Poetry assignment Practical class activity 40

Short story assignment Practical class activity 40

Oral work Practical class activity 60

Total 600

* Please note: You will submit several short writing assignments; two will be marked and count
towards your year mark.

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9. Solving problems

Please complete all the required activities and write your tests during the times they have been scheduled
(cf. ‘Schedule’). If you miss the deadlines, you may not then lodge any complaint with the Head of the
Department or with the Dean of the Faculty if your lecturer refuses to assess late submissions. Late
submissions will be penalised.
Kindly contact the lecturers if you experience any problems with ENGE1608. Make sure that you
contact them in good time if you are not satisfied with the assessment procedure followed in the
evaluation of your semester tests and assignments. In this regard, queries or complaints must be lodged
within 7 days after writing a test and/or receiving back a marked script or assignment.

10. Departmental and faculty guidelines

10.1 Responsibilities on the part of students and lecturers:

- Students are expected to attend all lectures and tutorials (where applicable).
- Only students who have attended at least 70% of their tutorials will be granted a predicate.

Students who fail to do so, will receive an incomplete on the course.
- If you miss class, it is your responsibility to contact your tutorial leader or instructor before

class to explain the circumstances.
- You are expected to do the assigned readings prior to the lecture/ tutorial, and to come to

class prepared to discuss the readings. It is not possible to succeed in your English courses
without doing your readings. Please bring all pertinent course readings to class and tutorial each
week.
- Participation in lecture and tutorial is required whenever possible and should reflect your
familiarity with the course readings.
- Please refrain from talking during the lecture unless taking part in the overall discussion, as it
is disruptive to both students and the instructor.
- See also the Faculty of the Humanities Class Attendance Policy included below.
- Instructors are required to return all submitted work within three weeks unless assignments
were submitted late.
- All assignment deadlines and test dates will be clearly communicated to students at the
beginning of a course or course segment for which a particular lecturer is responsible.
- Lecturers will keep track of all marks assigned to students in their English courses. It is,
however, also the responsibility of students to keep a record of their marks and to keep copies
of all marked assignments until the final marks for the course have been assigned.
- Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all courses offered by the English Department in the faculties
of the Humanities and Education are non-promotional.

10.2 Essay and assignment policy:

- Each lecturer will set his or her precise guidelines for assignments. Please ensure that these
guidelines are followed to the letter.
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- Essays must be written in Harvard format. All secondary sources must be correctly
referenced both in the body of your essay and in the list of works cited.

- Essays should be submitted in class. If you have a valid medical reason for being unable to
attend class that day, you should make alternative arrangements with your lecturer.

- Do not slip essays under doors. E-mailed and faxed essays are not accepted, unless explicitly
stated by an instructor. Ensure that you keep copies of all submitted work. If the essay is
lost, you are responsible for providing a copy.

10.3 Late assignment policy:

- Any essay or assignment handed in after the due date will be penalised 5% per day. No
exceptions.

- No essay or assignment will be accepted after seven days (including Saturday and Sunday)
without medical documentation.

10.4 Policy on the use of computers and other technologies in the classroom:

- Computers are allowed in class provided they are used to take notes during lecture.
- If you are using your computer for other activities during class, you will be asked to leave, since

active computer screens are a distraction for other students.
- Other technologies such as mobile phones and iPods are not allowed in lectures or tutorials1.
- Special arrangements will be made for students with special needs who need to make use of

computer and/or other technologies.

10.5 Consultation and e-mail policy:

- Each lecturer has two consultation/office hours per week plus an additional hour by
appointment for students who cannot attend the scheduled hours. Consultation hours will be
communicated in class and displayed on each lecturer’s office door.

- Questions about course content and assignments should be addressed to a student’s lecturer or
tutor during consultation hours or before/after class. If students are unable to attend a lecturer’s
consultation hours, they may send their lecturer a short e-mail to schedule an alternative
meeting time.

- E-mail queries about information clearly explained in the course outline or on Blackboard will
not be answered.

- All e-mail correspondence should have the course code of the course in question in the
subject heading.

- Please ensure that your e-mail message is addressed to your instructor by name and that it
includes your own name and student number.

10.6 Academic integrity:

- Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and other types of academic deception, can result
in serious consequences, such as a grade of zero on an assignment or expulsion from the
university.

- All cited material must be referenced in full using the Harvard Referencing Style. Failure to do
so will result in a mark of zero on assignment.

1 These may be used if they form part of a class activity.

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10.7 Plagiarism

Remember that plagiarism is illegal and is regarded as a criminal offence in terms of the Copyright
Act 98 of 1978. Plagiarism involves using someone else’s ideas or work and pretending that it is your
own. In other words, you have used the ideas or work of somebody else without mentioning their names
and providing the details of the publication or where you obtained the information. Plagiarised
responses will receive a mark of 0%.

If you plagiarise, you will be reported to the Directorate for Student Discipline and Mediation (DSDM)
who keep all records of plagiarism on a database. Your name and student number will appear on the
Academic Writing Misconduct Register. “Included will be a description of the incident, the measures
taken (First Written Warning, Final Written Warning, or any other disciplinary action taken) and the
applicable subject code or academic journal.” (UFS policy on preventing and dealing with academic
writing misconduct 2019). This could lead to the suspension of your studies at the UFS.

10.8 Faculty of the Humanities class attendance policy

10. The UFS has NO regulation according to which students need NOT attend classes – therefore,
100% class attendance is expected and allowances are made for up to 80% attendance for
illness and other circumstances over which the student has no control. In a pilot project where
class attendance was compulsory, the success rate increased by between 12% -51%.

11. Compulsory attendance also applies to other contact sessions such as tutorials, practicals,
academic facilitation sessions, group work, etc.

12. Students must comply with all the requirements for a particular module (as provided in the
study guide). If a student, therefore, misses an assessment opportunity (e.g. a class test) because
he/she has been absent, the lecturer is under no obligation to repeat the assessment opportunity,
and the student will merely forfeit those marks. If such a student cannot provide written
evidence of the reason for the absence, and does not comply with predicate/module mark
requirements, he/she may be refused admission to the examination.

13. It is expected of students to attend ALL scheduled contact sessions. Absence due to illness,
approved university activities and family or other emergencies, constitutes excused
absenteeism, if the reason for absence is supported by documentation presented to the lecturer
prior to or immediately upon the student’s return to class. Oral or written assessments,
assignments, etc. that have been completed during the absence still is the student’s
responsibility.

14. Information regarding class attendance and absences, excused or unexcused, must be provided
in all study guides/module guides.

15. Students who are of the opinion that they have been treated unfairly or penalised unjustly as a
result of the requirement to attend classes may approach the lecturer concerned to reach an
agreement. If the matter cannot be solved to his/her satisfaction, the matter may be appealed
in writing to the Programme Director/Head of the Department/Departmental Chair, and after
that to the Dean.

16. Consistent class attendance or consistent absenteeism will be taken into consideration in border
cases where decisions need to be made with regard to pass/fail or pass with distinction.

17. Absence of more than 30% of class hours constitutes excessive absenteeism, and in such cases
lecturers may refuse to mark students’ assignments, tests, reports, etc. which have been
completed during the time of absence, and which form part of the pass requirements, if the
absence has taken place without excuse with documented reasons.

18. Time table clashes will not be accepted as a valid reason for absence. It is the students’
responsibility to ensure at registration that no time table clashes will occur.

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19. Class tests, oral assessments, writing short reports, etc. may take place without prior
warning during class times, and students who are absent without excuse will forfeit the
marks thus earned.

10.9 Assessment policy of the Department of English for ENGE1608

Please read this document with great care to ensure that you understand our departmental assessment
policy. Failure to do so may result in a failing grade.

1. Continuous assessment

The Department of English has adopted a policy of ‘continuous assessment’ to ensure that students
engage with course materials consistently over the course of the semester, and not simply in last-
minute spurts of pre-exam cramming. In order to develop the interpretative, analytical, writing,
reading and oral communication skills required for university-level critical engagement, students are
asked to read and write on a weekly basis, and to actively participate in classes.

In the Assessment Policy of the Faculty of the Humanities, continuous assessment is defined as “that
which occurs throughout the learning process and not only after the learning process. Students are
thus examined continuously over the duration of a quarter, semester or year. It is cumulative and the
marks are calculated to produce a final result”.

In accordance with this policy, we therefore do not require of students to write a final exam, but
instead calculate grades based on portfolios of work submitted over the course of the semester or year
(these include tests, essays, oral contributions, and written assignments). It follows then that you
must complete all the required activities each week, as stipulated in your course guides.

Whereas most other departments calculate a predicate mark that, if higher than a certain grade, entitles
you to sit for the final examination, in the Department of English, all marks awarded for work done
throughout the semester/year count toward your final mark for the course. This means that your
performance throughout the semester will determine whether or not you pass the course, and it is
therefore imperative that you submit all assignments and write all tests. Failure to do so may result in
a failing grade for the course.

University regulations stipulate that “[w]here a system of continuous assessment applies, a student
passes when a final mark of at least 50 percent has been obtained and she/he has participated in all the
assessment opportunities” (see point A9.4 (h) in the “2014 General Rules for First Qualifications,
Postgraduate Diplomas, Honours Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s Degrees, Doctoral Degrees, Higher
Doctoral Degrees, Honorary Degrees and Convocation”).

In other words, students need a final mark of 50% to pass the course, and no additional
opportunity to submit assignments or write tests will be given once the final marks have been
calculated. The breakdown of how marks are earned is provided in full in your course guide.

2. Marks for formative tests and assignments

Marks are posted on Gradebook. It is your responsibility to verify your marks and report any
missing/incorrect marks to your lecturers within a week of receiving back any tests or assignments.

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3. Final mark

The final mark obtained on completion of all the assessment opportunities will be posted on
Gradebook

4. Moderation

In order to monitor the quality and fairness of assessment, all test question papers will be moderated
internally and a selection of papers will be moderated on the same basis as required by the university
for examination papers. The department will keep copies of the moderation reports for audit purposes.

A selection of assignments will also be moderated internally. It is imperative that you keep copies of
all your assignments and returned test papers for future reference.

5. “Incomplete”

You are required to write all official tests and submit all written work. Failure to do so will result in
an ‘incomplete’ (which means you will not receive a final grade for the course).

6. Tests

Because the Department of English uses the system of continuous assessment, students must write
all tests at the first opportunity. Only in the case of justified extraordinary circumstances may a
student apply to write the supplementary test (“sick”/aegrotat test). This application, which should be
accompanied by corroborative documentation (an original doctor’s certificate, for instance), must be
submitted to the lecturer within one week of the student’s return to class. Only students who have
been granted permission by the lecturer to write the supplementary test, will be allowed to do so.

Test dates and venues will be clearly communicated by your lecturer in class, in the study guide and
on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to ensure that you know what these dates and test venues
are.

7. Missed or late work

Sickness with an original doctor’s certificate or the death of a family member supported by a copy of
the death certificate are the only excuses that will be accepted for missing a test or failing to meet a
deadline. Students are expected to report such issues to their lecturer by email on the same day and
submit their valid documentation at the first lecturing opportunity following their approved absence
from class.

Any assignment handed in after the due date will be penalised 5% per day, unless the extenuating
circumstances outlined above apply. No assignment will be accepted after seven days (including
Saturday and Sunday) without medical documentation.

8. Appeals

Students have the right to appeal their marks, but only once they have carefully studied the feedback
given to them by their lecturers. The appeals procedure is as follows:

- Students should discuss the mark with their lecturer first.
- Should the lecturer and student fail to reach an agreement, the internal moderator for the

course can be asked to remark the test script or assignment. The internal moderator will have
the final say.

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- Please note that students must have attended at least 80% of their classes to be granted a
reassessment by the internal moderator.

- Disputes over test marks must be worked out within two weeks (14 days) after the return of
marks and no correspondence or communication will be entered into after this time.

9. Academic integrity
Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and other types of academic deception, can result in
serious consequences, such as a grade of zero on an assignment or expulsion from the university. All
cited material must be referenced in full using the Harvard Referencing Style.
Plagiarism constitutes copying five or more words from a text without citation. Should a student be
found guilty thereof, a mark of zero will be awarded. Such a student will be given no opportunity to
resubmit the assignment.
Should a student be found guilty of cheating during a test, whether through use of notes or copying
from a fellow student or the unauthorised use of electronic devices in the test venue, the student will
be required to leave the test venue and his/her test will not be marked. The students will not be given
an opportunity for a reassessment. Should a student be found guilty of copying another student’s
assignment, both students will receive a mark of zero for their assignments and will not be given an
opportunity to resubmit.
10. Assessment policy of the University of the Free State
The above policy should be read in conjunction with the General Rules of the University, which can
be obtained from the Registrar’s Office.

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ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH A COPY OF THE
FOLLOWING:

DECLARATION

Full name and surname: ________________________________________

Student number: ________________________________________

I herewith declare that I understand the meaning of plagiarism and know
that it is wrong. The assignment that I am submitting is my own work. I
have not copied anybody else’s work and have also not allowed anyone
to copy my work.

Signature: ________________________________
Date: ________________________________

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